Author Update: Dead Heat by Lisa Nowak

It's so great when I can welcome back a guest on the blog to talk about new projects. Today we're catching up with author Lisa Nowak who's here to talk about her novel, DEAD HEAT.

Hi, Lisa! Welcome back to We Do Write. Tell us about your new book, DEAD HEAT. What's it about?

I’m feeling terribly lazy today, so I’ll just give you the Amazon book description:

Alex is a machine whisperer. He can tell what’s wrong with a broken-down car with a touch. But his gift can’t save him from the brutality of his meth-addict father. For two years, Alex experienced kindness through Cole, his mentor. Now Cole’s dead, and the violence in Alex’s life is escalating.

When Cole reappears as a ghost, Alex clings to the tenuous link. Then he learns Cole might’ve sacrificed his chance to cross over. Jade, the first girl to look beyond Alex’s past, assures him Cole can reach the Other Side—if Alex escapes from his dad. But a previous terrifying attempt has convinced Alex it’s impossible. Unless he can find the courage to try, his friend may be earthbound forever.

What inspired you to write this book?

That’s a funny story, actually. Dead Heat never would’ve come to be had it not been for an agent rejecting my book Driven because it “wasn’t edgy enough.” Teens, according to him, won’t buy a book unless it’s edgy. I reacted with an, “I’ll show you edgy, buster,” and Dead Heat was born. I still think his opinion was bogus, but I owe him one for shoving me in a direction I never would’ve taken on my own.

Without giving to much away, what's your favorite aspect of the book?

There are two. The first is that it deals with child abuse and that controversial topic of what to do when you think reporting it might result in more harm than good to a child. I know this isn't a popular subject, but I think it's realistic, and it was intriguing to me to explore it. I didn’t set out to do that, but the plot forced me to come up with a believable explanation for why a good man would allow such a thing to continue. Second, Dead Heat features a protagonist with a learning disability, and the story is told in first person through his slang and somewhat limited vocabulary. This is just Alex's voice (imagine a modern day Huck Finn) and I didn't think much about it until my editor told me how glad she was to see someone up-ending the stereotype about kids like Alex.

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm ...

Messing around on Facebook. No, seriously, I have a small landscaping business, so except in the winter, running that is my “day job.” I’ve also been know to do a little welding, teach classes on indie publishing, and give yodeling lessons to cats. Okay, that last one might not be completely true.

Tell us where we can find DEAD HEAT.

http://bit.ly/DH-Amazon
http://bit.ly/DH-Smashwords
http://bit.ly/DH-BarnesandNoble


You can find me at:

Website: http://www.lisanowak.net/
Blog: http://lisanowak.wordpress.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LisaNowakAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lisa_Nowak
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/LisaNowakNewsletter

Author Bio:

In addition to being a YA author, Lisa is a retired amateur stock car racer, an accomplished cat whisperer, and a professional smartass. She writes coming-of-age books about kids in hard luck situations who learn to appreciate their own value after finding mentors who love them for who they are.

Interview with Lisa Nowak

Today we're talking with author Lisa Nowak about her novel DRIVEN.

Welcome, Lisa! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a retired amateur stock car racer, an accomplished cat whisperer, and a professional smartass. I write coming-of-age books about kids in hard luck situations who learn to appreciate their own value after finding mentors who love them for who they are.

How long have you been writing?

I wrote a little poetry when I was in grade school, and I started writing fiction at the age of thirteen.

Tell us about DRIVEN. What’s the story about?

Driven is the story of 16-year-old Jess DeLand, a tough, tenacious girl who loves cars. Her mom’s an alcoholic and her dad’s long gone, so she’s had to fend for herself since the age of eight. She tries to keep her home life a secret so she won’t wind up in foster care, but when she’s offered her dream job working on a race car, and the speedway community takes her in, that becomes increasingly difficult. Especially since teen racer Cody Everett is determined to win her heart.

Without giving too much away, what's your favorite aspect of the book?

That Jess is a fighter, and that she’s so non-traditional. In addition to loving cars, she’s a weather geek and excels in math and science. She’s not ashamed to be her own person and she doesn’t feel sorry for herself, even though life has dealt her a lousy hand.

Are you a planner or a pantser?

Definitely a planner, in all aspects of life. Ask me about anything I do, and I probably have an Excel spreadsheet to assist me with it. :)

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Finding the words. The older I get, the harder it is to access that dictionary in my head. Even when I have a scene planned out, I can stare at the page for hours wondering just how to express what I want to say.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Wee Cat, my feline muse. He’s the most gorgeous, good-natured, brown tabby in the world. He likes to lay on my lap or across my legs when I’m writing.  But he has cancer, so he won’t be with me long. :(

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Instant bliss. I’d point my finger at someone, and they’d be overcome with a sense of well-being. Not a high that would debilitate them, just a feeling that all was right with the world.

What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

I’m supposed to remember that? Wow. Hard to say. Today I googled how to kill wood hyacinths. Didn’t come up with a single hit, either. If anyone knows, please get in touch. The damn things are taking over my garden.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: garden gnome, astrology, and demeaning. 

Many garden gnomes rely on astrology to plan the course of their day, but Garamond found such nonsense demeaning.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Wow. This could take some time. I’ve had, like, fifty-bajillion beta readers while writing my series. First I’d have to thank the members of my critique groups, Chrysalis and Wow, particularly Alice Lynn and Laura Marshall. Then I’d have give kudos to the other writing/promotional groups I belong to, the Indelibles and Pacific NW YA Authors. Then I’d have to tip my hat to the Myers and Jermann families, racers who’ve taken me in and made me feel like one of their own. And I can’t forget members of the Classic Car Club, Oregon Region, who have read my books and offered constant support. There are others as well, my neighbors, landscaping customers, etc. who’ve cheered me on the whole way, but it would take an entire page to list them all. Last but not least, I have to express my gratitude to my husband Bob, who never wavers in his belief in me and treats my characters like real people.

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Smashwords
• Blog

Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Lisa. Good luck with DRIVEN and all your writing endeavors!